In time for campaign season, Mayor Parker announced yesterday that the city would begin cracking down on bandit signs placed on public property by fining violators under an existing city ordinance that — as far as she knows — has never been enforced. Political candidates will be given 24 hours’ notice for each violation before being charged $200 a pop, she said. Collected funds will be used to defray the cost of removing the signs — which reached $450,000 in 2009.
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Responding with a press release he titled “Parker Afraid of Dick,” at-large city council candidate and noted campaign-sign king Eric Dick called Parker a “bully” and “hypocrite” who has a conflict of interest on the issue. The enforcement push does not extend to signs placed on utility poles or private property, but Parker did announce she’ll be taking down one of her own campaign signs that’s been mounted high on a Montrose telephone pole since 2009.
- City Cracks Down On “Bandit” Signs [KUHF]
- Houston City Ordinance enforcement of “bandit signs†[Empty Lot Primary]
- City to crack down on bandit signs [Houston Chronicle]
- Press Release: Parker Afraid of Dick [Big Jolly]
- Previously on Swamplot: Accounting for All Those Overzealous Dick Sign Posters, The Campaign for Houston’s Vacant Real Estate: Who Will Win the Empty Lot Primary?
Photo of I-10 at Patterson: Empty Lot Primary
The cost of enforcing this (using higher-paid employees) will probably be much higher than what it costs to pay clean-up crews.
About bloomin’ time. Too bad it probably doesn’t apply to the one he’s got on the UP trestle over the Milam ramp into downtown.
His press release title is informative in its own way, though.
“Parker Afraid of Dickâ€
…Seriously?
@Donnie- I know, right? And he’s claiming he’s the one being bullied?
Fantastic. Please remove the crap from my neighborhood. Tired of looking at it.
Dick on a stick?….would the ones on which the “L” in “elect” have been drawn over with an “R” be considered vandalism or improvement?
so couldn’t the outlaw “dick sign” supporters retalliate by putting up parker signs? Then the mayor would be using city funds to enforce her taking down her own signs?
Did he seriously take a jab at her sexuality? What a tool.
@Chris Chancellor:
“Did he seriously take a jab at her sexual preference? What a tool.”
FIFY. I don’t think her sexuality has ever been in question (publicly at least).
@mek ju:
We’re getting into semantics here, but “sexuality” is an acceptable word to use in this instance. Try Googling “sexuality definition” and look at the second definition.
2. A person’s sexual orientation or preference.
Don’t disagree completely, just going on first definitions.
Side note: Though I find the headline funny in a juvenile kind of way, I would never vote for E.D. based solely on his inability to think forward.
Instead of a bunch of VOTE DICK signs, how about you take a[n adult] step back and say, “Hey, maybe people would take me seriously if I included my first name in my VOTE slogan.” That way we’d be debating VOTE ERIC DICK for the merits of his platform instead of arguing VOTE DICK because of its connotations for a lesbian mayor administration.
Oh yeah, that reminds me – what is his platform? Nobody knows because we’re discussing Dick instead of Eric.
Good luck proving who actually put the signs up. Including the mayor’s signs. As for Dick’s attempt at dick jokes, well, they’re a little limp.
They have been imposing the “bandit sign” ordinance on Realtors for years. Several agents in my office have received fines on their signs up to $500 a sign. They actually have a gentleman or two that works for the city. They cruise around on Sundays from the hours of noon to 5 (generally the most popular times for open houses), and hand out tickets. One actually tried to give me a ticket for an open house sign placed on private property with the owner’s permission.
So yes Ma Parker, the city has been enforcing this ordinance. It has just been very selective in selecting the targets.
I’m glad the city is enforcing the law against realtor open house bandit signs that litter the streets and parks every weekend.
In 2011 real estate agents still use Open House signs?
.
A sign or some balloons or something at the property is one thing, but sticking those tacky trashy signs all over the neighborhood is a turn off and seems unprofessional.
Maybe they should think like JOB CREATORS and hire the down-and-out to twirl their signs all day. They’d be cheaper than a fine.
I elected myself as Chief Bandit Sign Enforcer in my neighborhood. If it’s on a public right of way, it goes into the recycling bin back at the house.